'Mumbai's EDM scene is better than people think'

From being a naiumlve 16yearold playing at a local club at Maidstone Kent to becoming a DJ of international repute Nic Fanciulli has come a long way The Grammynominated producer who is also one of the most wellknown names in the EDM scene today has collaborated with artistes as diverse as Underworld Kylie Minogue Loco Dice Josh Wink and Tracey Thorn He is currently on a world tour with stopovers at Tokyo Madrid San Francisco Manila Dubai Madrid and Mumbai ad part of Ultra Music Festivals initiative to introduce their newest addition mdashthe Resistance stageExcerpts from the interviewQ How do you plan your performance for a new crowdA Well for one there can never be a set format Audiences in every country city are different and they have individual responses to my music I just trust the vibe and go with the flowNic FanciulliQ You started DJing in your hometown of Maidstone when you were just 16 How did it happenA There was a club called Club Class where everyone seemed to be playing ndash Carl Cox Sasha and Digweed Pete Tong I did a few mixtapes and gave them to the promoter of the club In the whole excitement I forgot to write my name on the tapes One day he caught hold of me and simply said Look Ive been trying to find you for a couple of months You didnt put any contact details on these tapes We want you to play for usQ How was that experienceA Playing at that club was like a Chelsea fan playing for Chelsea I learned a lot of my craft there One day I would be doing warmup the next the closing and then something else I got to tailor my sets It is there that I learned how to become a DJ ndash not just going in and playing the big records but how to warm up a crowd and how to close a room It was my apprenticeship into musicQ Who is your favourite collaboratorA Its really hard to pick a favourite I think everything has its moment in time but a few notable ones on the DJ side would be James Zabiela Carl Cox and most recently Joris Voorn On the production side Ive loved working with Andy Chatterly Joris Voorn Rolando and Alex TepperQ Who were your influencesA I grew up on Indie music initially with bands like the Stone Roses and the Happy Mondays In 1995 one of my friends brothers played me an album by Underworld and I really started getting into a more electronic sound I started listening to guys like the Chemical Brothers Francois K and Laurent Garnier and delved deeper into the genre I took a liking for DJs like Lee Burridge Within a few years I was working in a record shop and was completely immersed in electronic musicQ Who are your favourite contemporary musiciansA Laurent Garnier is my absolute hero He doesnt follow trends He is just a great guy with a great outlook on life and that reflects in his music I also really respect guys like Carl Cox and Rolando as these they have been pushing and driving the scene from the very beginning Without them there wouldnt be nearly half the amount of opportunities available to the young aspiring DJs and producers todayQ What is your take on the EDM scene in IndiaA I havent been to India since 2011 Mumbai has always been a city that has fascinated me ndash the culture the food the people Also theres more of an EDM scene here than people realise I wish I could make it over more often